Powder-distributer.



PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

INVENTOR:

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' WITNESSES:

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I PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907. G. H. LEGGETT. POWDER DISTRIBUTER. I APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1906.

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No. 840,142. v PATBNTED JAN. 1, 1907.

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POWDER DIS'TRIBUTER. APPLIOA'I'I OH FILED JULY 31, 1906.

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INVNTOR:

WITNESSES: 1 16) UNITED STATES CLINTON H. 'LEGGETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

POWDER-DISTRIBUTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed July 31,1906- Serial No. 328,508.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLINTON H. LEGGETT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New'York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Powder- Distributers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to distributers for powder or other insecticides, and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

In application Serial No. 265,799 filed by me on June 17, 1905, I have described and claimed a powder-distributer ada ted to be drawn by a horse or other anima and provided with means for simultaneously delivering the powder or other insecticide to a plurality of rows of plants. The device therein described is especially adapted for use upon farms of considerable size.

By my present invention I seek to provide a similar apparatus for use where the size of the farm or garden does not warrant the eX- pense of a'machine of the capacity of the device shown in such application. To this end I provide a powder-distributer which can be mounted upon any ordinary cart or wagon and will be practically effective for use in gardens of small area.

A further object 'of my invention is to utilize when desired certain types of handdusters (such as the well-known Champion duster) as a part of the device either during manufacture or where a customer is already in possession of such a duster.

To this end my invention consists of certain novelfeatures and arrangements, which are hereinafter more fully set forth.

, Referring to the drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved distributer, which is shown asxmounted upon an ordinary farm-vehicle. Fig. 2 is a plan of the device removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of amodiiication. Fig. 4 is a plan of Fi 3.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate any suitable vehicle, such as a farm wagon 0r cart. According to my invention I provide a frame B, which is designed to hold the entire powder-distributer and which maybe removably appliedto the cart either by permitting it to rest u on the bottom board a of, the latter or by bo ting or nailing the crosspieces I) of the frame to such bottom board. The frame B is provided with a base 0, uprights d e, and top board f. The'upright d is of less height than the upright e, so that the top board is inclined downwardly toward the rear of the device, as shown. The top board f is designed as a support for the drivers seat g and the powder-forcing mechanism C.

The powder-forcing mechanism or duster shown comprises the usual reservoir i, from which the powder is fed to a passage j, connected with a fan k, by means of which a current of air is forced through the passage, carrying with it the powder which has fallen from the reservoir. The device is operated by a handle Z, fixed to a gear m, which is mounted upon a shaft n, extending across the top of the fan-casing and mounted in bearings upon two plates 0 0, which are soldered or otherwise secured to the fan-casing, as best seen in Fig. 1. One of the plates 0 is formed with a lug or projection 9, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) on which a pinion 1- is mounted to rotate, such pinion meshing with the gear in and being connected to a gear 8, which in turn meshes with a inion t, mounted upon the'fan-shaft. By t 's construction a-strong and compact means for rotating the fan is obtained. The shaft n,

upon which the gear m is mounted, is provided at its opposite end with a crank it, which is connected by a rod 1; with a bellcrank w,.the latter being connected by a rod 2: to a crank 2 upon the agitator-shaft 2, as shown in Fig. 2'. As the crank it is rotated the lever w is oscillated and a similar motion given to the agitator through the connections just described. The agitator is of any wellknown construction and not shown in detail.

An important feature of the invention is the arrangement of the drivers seat 9 at rear of the operating mechanism, whereby the driver may guide the horse and at the same time manually operate the distributer. Preferably this result is obtained by lengthening out the duster and placing the seat 9 between the operating mechanism and the reservoir. The seat is preferably arranged to straddle the assage 9', so that the operator sits astride t e latter, in this position the handle Z being within easy reach of the right hand of the operator. By inclining the top board f the operating mechanism is raised relatively to the seat, so that the handle is clogged at this point.

brought into a more accessible position to the operator, while at the same time the inclination of the duster aids in the discharge of the powder, gravity assisting the air-current in this operation.

Any suitable means may be provided for regulating the passage of powder from the reservoir to the passage j-such, for instance, as the usual perforated plate, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. My invention provides, however, an improvement in the means for operating such regulator, such means beingbest shown in Fig. 2. A thumbnut or other adjusting device a is provided, which'engages the screw-threaded end of a I'Ods b, which is connectedto the'regulator, so that'by rotating the nut the rod is caused to move backward or forward, as'the case may be. To protect the long length of exposed rod, I-provide a guard c, which is grooved upon its upper side to receive the rod, so that 'thelatter is practically incased. Such guard 'may consist of a piece of sheet metal bentto appn'opriate shape, as shown, or may 'be otherwise constructed.

I have found'in practice that the insecticide tends to accumulate in the passage 7' near the 'bottom'of the reservoir, so that there is liability of the device becoming To avoid such a result, l constrict the passage j at-apoint in its length, preferably by the use of aplate d, which is inserted through a slitformed in the top-wall of the passage, as shown. The plate d is so shaped that when its upper portion fits along the top wall of the passage its lower portion is extended nearly to the bottom of the passage and inclined toward the reservoir. The effect-of this'is 'to considerably accelerate the speed of the air-current which passes at this point and by this means to prevent the objectionable accumulation "referred to.

The reservoir is preferably-provided near its bottom with an opening, which is adapted to be closed by a cap e, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby the interior of thereservoir and agitator are-rendered-accessible.

-My invention is capable of beingapplied in part to hand-dusters already in use, especially those of the well-known Champion type. Toeffect this, the reservoir and-fan,

with its operating mechanism, are separated,

and an intermediate section ofpipe, such as is-indicated indotted linesatfflis inserted between the two. By this means suflicient roomis obtained for'the interposition of the seat 9.

The form of distributing mechanism which I prefer to employ is shown at D. Such mechanism comprises aseries of pipesg g,

connected at their inner'ends to a-distributing-nozzle h by short lengths of flexible'hose t 'i,-and the distributing-nozzle-h fits upon a pipe 3', which is connected to the reservoir,

so as to provide a separable connection between the two. The distributing-pipes g are supported by levers lc k, which are pivoted to a tilting member Z, which is hinged to a board m, extending transversely below the base-board c. The two outer of thelevers it are raised above the inner levers by 'means of blocks 0 0 in order that the ends of the levers may not interfere with each other, as best shown'in Fig. 1. Any suitable form of connection may be made between the distributing-pipes and 'leverssuch, i for instance, as the straps-shown at p pflwhich engage the-pipes loosely, -so as to 'permit the straps to slide alongthe latterwhen-thelevers are operated. Each of the levers extends forwardly close to the seat 9, sothat the duster-may beadjusted to variouswidths of rows by the driver without' leaving his seat or stopping the vehicle. The tilting rnember l is adapted to be swungoutwardly and downwardly toraiseand lower the'entire-series of pipes by a lever g, fixed to such=mem "ber and extending forwardly to apoint within reach of thedriver, a plate r or other means being provided forholding the leveriin its adjusted position. As shown, such' pl'ate is formed with a series of holes :adaptedto receive a pin carried by the lever.

In Figs? and 4 I have illustrated my'invention as applied to an --ordinary handduster of the Champion type. In this construction the inclined support for the duster f =is arranged between the uprights (Z and- 6 while the seat g -is arrangedforwardly of the duster, its front end being supported by an upright 6 The duster is held in'place on the support f by angle-plates t and a, the

former being fastened to the seat-'g and the latter to the support f 'In the mainthe construction shown-in thesefigures is similar to-thatof Figs. land 2. The tilting member Z however, is formed in twoparts F6011" nected by a metal'strip v,- to one-of which the lever g is fastened as s'hown. The tilting'member instead of extending outwardly from the boardm, as in FigsJ1-and 2 ,in this case extends forwardly over the board. This construction is advantageous inthat-it permits the device l to be 'placed -well forward in the wagon or cart without interfering with the actionofthe tilting'member. "Such member is formed intwo parts, as: described, to avoid interference with'the upright member d Theconstruction shown in Figs. '3-and 4 is not as-advantageous as that shown in' Figs. 1 and 2for the=reasonthatto operate successfully the driver must face the rear of the cart. Under these circumstance the services'of an additional person :are required to drive or lead the horse-orthe horse must be relied upon to properlyguide "the vehicle.

from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is- 1. In an insecticide-distributer the combination of an insecticide-forcing mechanism and a distributing mechanism, means for operating such forcing mechanism, and a seat interposed between said distributing mechanism and said means, and arranged close to the latter so that it may be actuated from said seat.

2. In an insecticide-distributer the combination of a vehicle, an insecticide-forcing mechanism thereon, such mechanism having a reservoir and an operating mechanism, and

.a seat interposed between the twoand arranged close to said operating mechanism so.

. that the latter can be operatedfrom said seat.

3. In an insecticide-distributer, the combination of a vehicle, a powder-forcing mechanism thereon, such mechanism having a reservoir and a fan, such reservoir and fan being spaced apart and arranged with the fan in advance of the reservoir, a seat interposed between such fan and reservoir, and facing the former, and means for actuating such mechanism arranged close to said seat so as to be operated therefrom while the operator is facing forwardly in said seat.

4. In an insecticide-distributer, the combination of a frame adapted to be removably applied to a cart or the like, said frame having an inclined support, and a powder-forcing mechanism fixed to said support.

5. In an msecticide-distributer, the combination of a base-board, a powder-distributing mechanism having a series of pipes, a tilting member by the movements of which such pipes are raised and lowered, and connections between such member and said pipes, said tilting member being hinged to said baseboard, and extending rearwardly therefrom.

6. In a powder distributer, a reservoir having a means for regulating the passage of powder therefrom, an operating-rod extending to a point remote therefrom and a guard for protecting such rod comprising a piece of metal bent to form a groove in which such rod is arranged.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLINTON H. LEGGE'IT.

-Witnesses:

EUGENE V. MYERS, FRED WHITE. 

